Su Huai swiftly led his men into Pujiang City, brimming with triumph!

"This plan was truly brilliant! Zheng Sangge won’t escape the stigma of slaughtering civilians without reason. He’ll be scorned by all!"

"It’s a shame that bastard Zheng Sangge got away. I’ll catch him next time and exact revenge!"

Su Huai and his brothers felt they had discovered a path to victory. They were revitalized and resolute. Their next target was Jinhua City, which they aimed to conquer.

Their ultimate goal was to reach Huaixi Province and bring down Shao Yunduan.

Once accomplished, the Emperor would face no further dissent, and the critics in the court would be silenced.

They had harbored long-standing grievances against those critics. Upon their return, they vowed to teach them a lesson.

Unbeknownst to Su Huai and his men, although Zheng Sangge and his forces had retreated, they had left behind many hidden operatives.

These operatives were pervasive and swiftly integrated into the group of forcibly conscripted civilians.

The number of captured civilians was substantial this time. Su Huai and his forces didn’t expect them to play a significant role in attacking cities or seizing territory; their primary purpose was as human shields or, in essence, hostages.

Because no one paid them much attention, their identities went unrecognized, allowing Zheng Sangge’s agents to blend in after changing their attire.

Through the diligent efforts of these operatives, the civilians soon understood why General Zheng had abandoned the city and fled. They were deeply moved and grateful.

General Zheng couldn’t bring himself to harm them!

He was a true leader and a kind-hearted person, unlike the Su family, whom they now saw as demons.

The operatives continued to influence and incite the civilians. Reflecting on the fear and suffering inflicted by the Su family’s army, their hatred for them grew stronger.

Every one of them desired to escape this ordeal and return home. The operatives clandestinely organized and prepared a group of like-minded individuals for action.

A few opportunists saw this as a chance to gain recognition, but those skilled at ingratiating themselves had already joined the ranks of the Su family’s army. They often wielded whips to enforce the Su family’s commands, earning deep-seated resentment from everyone who despised them, unaware of their clandestine activities.

Meanwhile, Wei San, Wei Wu, and their companions dispersed and bribed villagers and townspeople near Hangzhou City to sneak inside.

Initially, they anticipated significant challenges due to stringent wartime gate inspections, similar to those in Jinhua City.

However, they were surprised to find that none of their strategies were necessary. By following local civilians entering Hangzhou City to conduct business and dressing similarly, they easily passed through after paying a toll.

Once inside, they looked around in disbelief, feeling as though they had entered a dream!